


Flowers by the River

by Arcturus360p



Series: The Knight and His King [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen, M/M, alfred be a lazy fucker, arthur has claustrophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 11:09:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14591730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arcturus360p/pseuds/Arcturus360p
Summary: When he was fifteen, a mere squire, he was assigned to serve the crowned prince. The crowned prince, however, is someone he didn't expect to be like.





	Flowers by the River

**Author's Note:**

> HAHA so i decided to write it anyway.  
> fsdgh  
> Please tell me what you guys think ;-;

The first time I was sent to the castle was when was fifteen. I was a squire back then.

  
But before I even got in here, my father, hailed as one of the kingdom’s living heroes, trained me in the art of swordsmanship. He was cruel and unrelenting. For four years, he had been training me, saying that as his only son, I was his pride and joy. Of course, I was happy to hear that from him. My mother would always tell me about his battles, about how he protected our people from the invaders of the north.

  
Then finally one day, when he deemed that I was ready, he took me to the castle. This was this day.

  
"Your Majesty, it is my greatest honor to present to you, my one and only child - Arthur," he said as he bowed before the throne. I was right next to him and for some reason, I had felt like I was just an object, a trophy.  
"He will be serving you and the royal family. I had trained him with my own hands. I know I couldn't serve you anymore, Your Grace. My own body is getting frail. In turn..."

  
The king raised his hand and my father's breath hitched. I froze too. He instead gestured to us to get up, and we gingerly did.  
"Percival..." the king's voice wavered because of his old age. "You have given me enough. You don't have to give your only child to me."  
My father didn't like what he said, however. He suddenly went towards the king to get down on his knees again. His face was panic-stricken and madness was swimming in his eyes - madness that I am awfully familiar with.

  
The other knights in the room started to make a move, but the king gestured to stop them.  
Now I understood why people were now hesitant to get him near the king. He was truly a loyal night, but...  
"I understand..." the king smiled then. Tears ran down my father’s face, and the king gently patted his head. The once towering terror I once knew was now like a lifeless doll at the king’s feet.

  
The day after, the king said that I will be serving the king’s son – Alfred.

* * *

  
Despite being the crowned prince, Alfred was someone who had a very little regard over manners. He would always run through hallways, almost knocking over an artifact. He would speak and laugh too loudly and eats too messily. Moreover, he was just a year younger than me.

  
One day, when I was supposed to look after him as he studied politics. He suddenly broke the silence. “Ugh. Studying is boring!” he rested his back on the chair and looked up at the ceiling. “Do you want to go somewhere?” 

  
I looked at him from my book with a blank expression. “No, Your Majesty. You are supposed to study.” He managed to convince his teacher to leave him here, since I was here anyway. For some reason, he had preferred my company.  
“No fun!” he huffed, and I raised my eyebrows. He picked up his book again and started reading. After five seconds, he spoke again. “Please? I will show you a place that only I knew.”

  
The prince stared at me with his bright blue eyes.

  
“Okay…” I lost. He suddenly stood up and pumped his fists in the air. “Come on, Arthur!” he grabbed my hand, and I suddenly felt a weak shock that crawled up my arm. We both somehow avoided the guards in the castle. He had been holding my hand the whole time, until he stopped at the front of a certain wooden door. I suddenly felt empty, so I decided to hold my sword instead.

  
When he opened it, the room was filled with old weapons – spears, swords and lances. The room smelled of rust. “Is this what you wanted to show me?” I said and crossed my arms.

  
“Nope. Watch!” he went inside, and I followed. He pressed something on the wall, and something clicked. The wall suddenly moved, and paranoia made me grip my sword tighter. Then I realized, it was a passageway. He grabbed my hand again and rushed to it. I yelped when the wall behind us suddenly closed again. It was completely dark.

  
“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?” I wasn’t able to stop myself. I would be caught dead by my insolence if there was anyone else in this place. The passageway was only enough to fit one person and for some reason I felt like the air around was crushing me. I can’t breathe. Out of panic, I pushed the wall behind me with all the physical strength I had, but to no avail.

  
My heart started beating fast. Suddenly, the prince spoke.  
“It doesn’t open from this way.”

  
He took my hand again, and I regret that it was shaky. I don’t want to give him the impression that I cant protect him. No, I can’t protect him at my state. I can still remember that dark room where my father used to lock me in whenever I made mistakes. It was a dark room where only I can fit.

  
“Relax, Arthur. I know which way to go even with this darkness!” he said proudly. He started walking, still holding my hand. I somehow felt relieved. “I found this place when I was hiding from the adviser,” he laughed at himself. “I would rather explore the world than read those boring books.”

  
“Just a little more,” he assured me. After a few minutes, I saw a ray of light. There was a stairway, then we climbed it up. It took me a while to adjust to my surroundings. With my eyes closed, I breathed the fresh air. It felt like years down there.

  
“Look, Arthur!” I heard him speak and I gingerly opened my eyes. We were standing in green grass. The aroma of the flowers filled the air. The river reflected the sunlight as it sparkled, and I was lost for words. I realized he was still holding my hand, but I didn’t dare to let it go. It was oddly comforting.

  
“This was one of the secret passageways that were supposed to be used in times of emergency. I read it in one of the books, and it actually existed!”  
Of course, it wouldn’t be written if it didn’t exist

  
“Then I suppose your boredom is an emergency,” I said and covered my mouth after saying it. My insolence is getting overboard.  
He laughed again. It was a high pitched one, but somehow, I found it pleasing. “I like you, Arthur,” he said, and my face heated up. “From now on, we shall be best friends!” he announced.

  
“No, I can’t, Your Majesty. It is highly inappropriate.” Indeed, it is. I am only here to serve him, and nothing more.

  
“You can call me Alfred!” he said. “And that’s an order!” he added before I could say anything more. Just now, I suddenly felt like more than an object.

  
We returned the castle through its front gate. Apparently, they were in chaos because the prince suddenly went missing. He then said that I came looking for him when he got out on his own. I was not able to see him for a while because he was not allowed to go out of his room.  
After two weeks, he was allowed to get out of his room.

  
“Next time, we can just head for the castle garden,” I suggested.  
“Yeah.”

 


End file.
